House committee approves Probst bill to increase awareness of 988 hotline
Rep. Tarah Probst October 2, 2024 | 11:30 AM
HARRISBURG, Oct. 2 – Did you know that 988 is a hotline developed for national suicide prevention and mental health crisis response?
“Unfortunately, many people experiencing a mental health crisis may not be aware of the critical resource available to them by dialing 988 or may not feel comfortable accessing it,” said state Rep. Tarah Probst, D-Monroe Pike. “I believe we need to create a public education campaign within the PA Department of Human Services to increase public understanding and engagement with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.”
This week, the state House Human Services Committee approved H.B. 2533 sponsored by Probst and Rep. Tarik Khan, D-Phila., and sent it to the full House of Representatives for consideration.
Probst said the public education campaign would include advertising in multiple languages to meet the diverse community needs of Pennsylvania residents. In addition, the campaign would provide information about the warning signs of suicide and preventative measures.
“Law enforcement officers many times respond to 911 calls from people experiencing a mental health crisis. Greater awareness of 988 would redirect crisis calls away from 911 and toward appropriate mental health resources and help,” Probst said.
The department would need to file an annual report outlining its efforts to increase awareness.
If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis, please call 988. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.